


Serving at the Pleasure of the President

by Steadfxst



Category: Political RPF - US 21st c.
Genre: 2016 US Presidential Election, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Apologies, Catharsis, Drabble Collection, Drinking, Guilt, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Reconciliation, Regret, Working Out My Feelings Through Fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-01 11:28:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14519535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steadfxst/pseuds/Steadfxst
Summary: "Besides, as we're learning today, when the president of the United States asks you to do something, you don't ask questions."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The summary quote comes from Bob Newhart on an episode of _The Dean Martin Variety Show_ : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrOeTSAu7Is

“Joe?” the president says.

Joe looks up immediately.

“Yes, Mr. President?”

His voice is soft when he responds. Joe knows him—his moods, his thoughts—too well. Sometimes it catches him off-guard, but right now, he appreciates Joe’s uncanny ability to read him.

“Joe.”

His voice breaks a little, which is rare. Joe stands up quickly and goes to his side. Joe’s eyes seek his as he tries to put the pieces together.

“What can I do?” Joe asks.

Barack licks his lips. Joe’s eyebrows briefly go up, but then his face gets serious. Joe nods.

“Okay. Okay, Mr. President.”


	2. Chapter 2

“I didn’t think we’d end up here.”

Barack laughs at that. He laughs and laughs even though it’s really not funny. He looks at Mitt to see his reaction to his reaction. Mitt looks uneasy.

“It’s the end of the world, Mitt. Lighten up.”

Barack playfully pushes his shoulder, and it earns him a tight smile.

“I guess I don’t look so bad, now, do I?”

Mitt sighs.

“Just because I’m not a fan of your politics doesn’t mean I wanted—”

Barack bumps his shoulder against Mitt’s.

“I know,” he says.

“I never wanted _this_.”

“I know,” he repeats.


	3. Chapter 3

“To the end of the republic,” Barack says, echoing the words of his last White House Correspondents’ Dinner speech.

He raises his glass, and Hillary does the same. She drinks her glass down quickly since there was no one around to see her do it. No one around to see her and critique her over it. Barack follows suit.

Hillary puts her glass down and refills it. Barack tilts his head to the side.

“That’s not your first one today, is it?”

She cracks a grin, but doesn’t answer. It’s answer enough.

He holds out his empty glass towards her.

* * *

Throughout their private evening, she’s slowly made her way from her chair to next to him on the couch to half-way onto his lap. Barack had taken it all in stride. He had kept his hands in decorous places. 

He speaks up, though, when she actually straddles him.

“Hillary.”

She doesn’t respond.

He understands she’s grieving—he is too. They all are. But there’s no use in acting in ways she’ll regret later. He picks her hands up off his shoulders and clasps them between his.

“You don’t want this,” he says.

 _That_ gets her attention.

“Don’t tell me what I want.”


	4. Chapter 4

After exchanging pleasantries, Barack invites Bill into his office. The men sit.

“I think I know what this is about,” Barack says.

“There’s no need for that,” Bill says. “I’m here to say thank you.”

He’s not easily rendered speechless these days, but that does the trick.

“She’s embarrassed about the other night. She’d never admit it, but it meant a lot to her. What you did for her.”

“Bill, you know I—”

Suddenly Bill stands, so Barack does too. Bill embraces him, and when he pulls back, he’s smiling.

“That’s from the both of us.”

Barack smiles too.


	5. Chapter 5

The president enters the room, and Jim looks up from the sight of his handwringing.

“Mr. President.”

A thousand words crowd in his mouth, all wanting to tumble out at once.

_I’m sorry. I never thought…I let everyone down. I thought I was doing the right thing. A shoe-in. She was a shoe-in. She was supposed to be. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry._

Barack puts his hand on Jim’s shoulder, gives it a gentle squeeze, and sits down.

Jim swallows hard over the lump in his throat.

“It’s alright, Jim. I know you did what you thought was best.”

If that were true, why did he feel so lousy?

“I had no idea.”

Jim, who was quite well-known for his unusual height, doesn’t think he’s ever felt smaller. Here was a man he admired and respected. Here was a man he was happy to work with. Here was a man he had grown to like.

That was all gone now.

“Do you want a drink?” Barack asks. “You look like you need a drink.”

“Yeah,” he hears himself say. “Yeah, I think I would.”

Barack presses a glass into his hand.

“To…protocol,” Barack says.

“To protocol,” Jim echoes.


	6. Chapter 6

Jim runs into her by accident, and he’s unprepared. If not for his massive height, he’d attempt to hide to avoid an awkward encounter. ~~There aren’t even any curtains.~~

She spots him.

Hillary is brave. She walks over, unintimidated.

“Mr. Comey,” she says.

“Senator,” he responds.

Jim decides to wait before saying anything. He watches her eyes search his face for…something. He’s not sure what.

He wonders what she’s looking for. If looking into his eyes confirms something for her.

“Getting enough sleep?” she asks.

That stings, but it feels deserved.

“More than I used to.”

She nods.

In sympathy?

Jim’s not sure.

“You too, huh?”

It sounds like a challenge.

He swallows over a lump in his throat. She'd had enough of the elephant in the room.

“I’m sorry,” he says.

He’s not sorry about what he did. He’s sorry about the outcome. He’s sorry how she was treated by the media. He’s sorry she’s not president.

Hillary sighs heavily.

“Thank you, Mr. Comey,” she says.

“Of course, Senator,” he says.

With a bob of her head in his direction, she turns and walks away.

Jim knows they’ll never speak of this—or of anything else—ever again.


End file.
